German Certification (fwd)

[Fred Sturm]

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Date: Monday, June 16, 2003 11:33 AM -0500
From: Joel Rappaport <JRPiano@austin.rr.com>
To: fssturm@unm.edu
Subject: German Certification

Fred,
I read what you wrote to the CAUT List and there are some unclear points
although what you wrote is true.
It depends on what you mean by the "certifcation system."  If you mean from
the beginning of apprenticeship all the way through being awarded what I
call the Masters Diploma in Piano Building, the time is indeed several
years.  However,  the schooling for the Masters Diploma (not actually
required to take the State Exams) is currently a full school year, at the
conclusion of which, the State Exams are scheduled.
The requirement in Germany has been (who knows what the future will bring
with the European Union regulating such matters now) that one must be a
Master Piano Builder (Klavierbaumeister), as you explain, to run a business
as a Klavierbauer (Piano Maker).  Just 'tuners' are not held in high regard
in technical circles.
Where I think Ric Brekne is right on the mark in looking at the German
system, is that included in the exams are not only piano technical sections,
but also bookkeeping, teaching apprentices (which is another thing the
Masters Diploma is required for), general awareness of how the piano
developed through history and business subjects such as the financial and
legal systems that affect running a business.
Now, where this might apply to a 'certified CAUT' is not that there would be
years of training and exams, but that the certification might display
continuing education (always a plus point in a college or university
environment) regarding the guidelines that are now being discussed, as well
as training for teaching a class to piano majors, for example, or extra
study concerning concert work.  In other words, a 'certified CAUT' would
have knowledge and training beyond that needed for an RPT.
Feel free to share this with the List.  I might actually have to subscribe
to these lists in order to post contributions :-)  Right now, I can't deal
with the number of emails that action would generate.
Great to see you last month.  Hope everyone enjoyed the seminar.
----Joel

Ed,
	Briefly, the German certification system involves several years of full
time school and apprenticeship, followed by an exam regimen in which, among
other things, the candidate actually builds a piano. Very much in the old
world tradition of the guild. In Germany, this certification is required of
any independent piano technician - it's illegal to hang out a shingle
without one (there is an exception for someone who wants to hang out a mere
"tuning" shingle).
	Bottom line, this is a very complex and cumbersome system, and one which
will never happen in the US. That said, it is also quite admirable, and we
in the US could learn a great deal from it. How to emulate? I'm not sure.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

--On Saturday, June 14, 2003 8:30 AM -0400 Ed Sutton <ed440@mindspring.com>
wrote:

>
> Richard-
> Could you say more about this, please?
> Ed S.
>
>
>  But it seems to me that if one is first going to contrive some
> certification above the basic skills required of an RPT, then it should
> be more along the lines of what the German Piano Builder's certification
> implies.



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